Tis the season.

The NFL draft came and went, and, as is often the case, Lions fans are left feeling blackjacked.

This year, I'm rather less sympathetic.

"They didn't address needs!"

Rebuttal: I'm with Al--When your team is 0-16, the entire franchise is a giant sucking sound of needs.

Did they need a quarterback? Yes, unless you think Daunte Culpepper is going to somehow return to a form he hasn't shown in four years. Oh, and have I mentioned he's injury prone? And Drew Stanton turned out to be another high pick, injury-plagued MSU skill-position bust. Not all his fault, but a wasted second rounder.

Did they need a tight end? Given that they haven't had a credible one since David Hill signed a free-agent contract with the Rams in 1984, I'd say yes.

Did they need a speedy safety for the new defensive scheme? Sure looks like it, and whatever Schwartz' other shortcomings, he earned a good reputation as a defensive mind.

And that's just the first three positions. I'll even defend the wide receiver pick (cue rimshot and Millen references). We have in the cupboard Calvin Johnson and...a bunch of guys who couldn't hang on with other teams. Chronic Charles Rogers and Mike "Super-size Me" Williams are both out of football, thanks to the big brain on Matt.

The most screeching has been about the failure to take a middle linebacker, namely Rey Maualuga out of USC. Sounds good--they need an inside guy--until you realize he has coverage issues, despite the highlight reel hits. You can't afford a 2 down linebacker in this day and age, at least not that high.

The Lions may--heck, you can probably bet spending money on it--have botched yet another draft. But it won't be for the reasons most people are screaming about.